Saturday, August 9, 2014
Dear Mahatma: Our three generations of family disagree on who has the right of way in the following hypothetical scenario. Driver A heads north on First Street. He arrives at Universe Street, stopping at a stop sign. His intent is to turn left. Driver B heads south on First Street and arrives at a stop sign on Universe Street immediately after Driver A. Driver B's intent is to go straight across. Who has the right of way? Our older generation says the driver going straight. The younger generation says the driver who arrived first. The middle generation is split. We have a new 16-year-old driver, so this is important. -- Patriarch
Dear Patriarch: What's left of our mind summons up an observation from Gen. Nathan Bedford Forrest. That is, he wins who gets there first with the most. Under this theory of driving and warfare, Driver A goes first.
No so fast, says another high-ranking strategist, Lt. Carl Minden of the Pulaski County sheriff's office. His careful reading of the Arkansas Driver License Study Guide finds no scenario exactly like the one described, but it does have some general rules. He also assumes this isn't a four-way stop, and so both Driver A and Driver B would yield to through traffic.
Minden quotes the guide: "The law indicates which vehicle must yield the right of way; it does not give anyone the right of way."
This strikes us as profound. It essentially says drivers should be deferential. To coin a phrase, deference takes precedence over priority. Ow, that one hurt.
"A driver must do everything possible to prevent striking a pedestrian or another vehicle, regardless of the circumstances," the guide continues. "Drivers turning left must yield to oncoming cars traveling straight ahead."
Minden adds, and wisely:
"The driver turning left should yield the right of way to the driver going straight. Southern civility could prevail, though."
He says he's seen many drivers who are going straight relinquish the right of way to the driver turning left if the latter were already waiting at a cross stop sign.
"Make sure to check the through traffic again to avoid an accident."
Dear Mahatma: When you're coming off an interstate and turning right, the turn lane is reserved for you. Drivers should not stop and yield, but instead should safely merge. In Texas, they have signs that say DO NOT YIELD -- KEEP MOVING. We should have those. -- Young Feller
Dear Feller: Agreed -- this is maddening. In lieu of signage, people are required to read and heed this column. No fooling. And no stopping on the off-ramp, either.
Dear Mahatma: We often read about tractor-trailers rear-ending cars in construction zones. One thing I do when I come to an abrupt stop at one of these locations is to put on my flashers or pump my brakes to get the attention of drivers behind me. -- What Think?
Dear Think: Excellent idea. Let's spread it around.
Metro on 08/09/2014